AHA unstable angina: recognising an emergency

It belongs to the same urgent clinical spectrum as a heart attack. Only hospital assessment, including an ECG and blood tests, can distinguish these problems safely.

Angina occurs when heart muscle receives less oxygen-rich blood than it needs. A stable pattern tends to follow a familiar trigger and settle as expected. Unstable angina can begin at rest, appear with less exertion than before, last longer, feel more severe or stop responding to the usual medicine.

Chest pressure or tightness is a common presentation of unstable angina. Discomfort may spread to an arm, shoulder, neck, jaw, back or upper abdomen and may occur with sweating, nausea, breathlessness or light-headedness.

Stop activity, sit in a safe place and call UAE emergency services. Do not drive yourself. If you have a clinician-issued angina action plan, follow it while help is coming, but do not delay the emergency call to see whether symptoms settle.

Tell responders when the discomfort began, where it spreads, and which medicines you have taken. Bring your medication list if it is readily available. Food and drink may interfere with urgent procedures, so wait for instructions from the emergency team.

Treat new chest pressure, a clear change in established angina, discomfort at rest, or chest symptoms with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or faintness as an emergency. Seek help even if the discomfort eases, because symptoms can fluctuate while the underlying blood-flow problem remains active.

People can experience heart-related symptoms differently. Sudden unexplained breathlessness, profound weakness, collapse, or pain in the jaw, back or upper abdomen also warrants urgent assessment, especially when accompanied by clammy skin or nausea.

Ask what caused the symptoms, what testing showed, which activities are safe during recovery and how to use any prescribed chest-pain medicine. Confirm the purpose of antiplatelet, cholesterol or blood-pressure treatment and obtain a written plan explaining which recurring symptoms require another emergency call.